Struggle  for  a  diocese 
Swope 


UNIVERSITY    LIBRARY 


DIOCESE  OF   WESTERN 

NORTH   CAROLINA 

COLLECTION 


PLACED  ON  DEPOSIT 
BY  THE   PROTESTANT   EPIS- 
COPAL CHURCH  IN  THE 
UNITED  STATES  OF 
AMERICA 


THE  STRUGGLE  FOR  A  DIOCESE 

BEING  AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  STRUGGLE  TO 
SECURE  THE 

ERECTION  OF  THE  MISSIONARY  DISTRICT  OF 

ASHEVILLE,  NORTH  CAROLINA, 

INTO  A  DIOCESE 

COMPILED  CHIEFLY  FROM 
THE   DISTRICT  JOURNALS 

1894-1919 

1898-1919: 

WITH  AN  HISTORICAL  ACCOUNT  OF  SOME  OF  THE  TRANSAC- 
TIONS INCIDENT  TO  THE  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  DISTRICT  COL- 
LATED BY  THE  VERY  REVEREND  R.  R.  SWOPE,  D.  D. 


PREFACE 

"I  think  the  greatest  obligation  resting  upon  us  and  the 
the  one  that  will  be  so  considered  by  the  Church  in  the 
United  States  is  to  become  a  self  supporting  Diocese  at  the 
earliest  possible  date  and  our  growth  in  financial  strength 
in  the  last  few  years,  warrants  the  calculation  that  within 
the  next  few  years  we  can  apply  to  the  General  Convention 
for  organization  into  a  Diocese." 

Nearly  seventeen  years  have  passed  since  Bishop  Horner 
made  this  statement  in  his  Convention  Address  at  Hickory, 
in  June  1902. 

There  are  a  great  many  of  the  clergy  and  laity  who  be- 
lieve today  that  this  "greatest  obligation"  still  rests  upon 
us,  only  with  the  added  burden  of  seventeen  years  of  ex- 
istence as  a  District. 

At  the  Convention  of  1918,  an  overwhelming  majority  ex- 
pressed its  will  that  the  District  should  become  a  Diocese 
forthwith.  The  following  pages  give  the  history  of  the 
movement  set  on  foot  as  long  ago  as  1902.  It  is  a  move- 
ment for  the  good  of  the  Church  and  for  the  greater  glory 
of  GOD. 

When  the  Diocese  is  organized  according  to  the  Consti- 
tution, the  Right  Reverend  Junius  Moore  Horner,  D.  D.,  will 
automatically  advance  to  the  dignity  of  a  Diocesan  Bishop. 
Can  we  not  all  get  together  and  make  the  Diocese  an  ac- 
complished fact  at  the  General  Convention  to  be  held  in 
October  this  year. 

Frederick  D.  Lobdell  John  H.  Pearson 

Chas.  E.  Waddell  James  B.  Sill 

KlNGSLAND  VanWiNKLE  R.  R.  HARRIS 

H.  Norwood  Bowne  William  T.  Lindsey 

Reginald  Howland  Cyril  E.  Bentley 

Herbert  D.  Miles  Charles  Mercer  Hall 


HISTORY 


1  fKQ4-  Resomtion  adopted  in  the  Convention  of  thy  Dio- 
*  ^  "**  cese  of  North  Carolina  that  the  Western  part  of 
the  State  be  set  off  and  offered  to  the  General  Church  as  a 
Missionary  District.    This  occurred  at  Winston,  May,  1894. 

1  ftQ^S  At  tne  Convention  of  Diocese  of  North  Carolina 
1  O  JU  hel£  at?  ]\iorganton  the  Committee  made  a  favor- 
able report. 

The  General  Convention  meeting  in  October  in  Minnea- 
polis consented,  after  some  discussion  (doubt  being  felt  by 
some  members  of  the  House  of  Bishops  of  their  power  un- 
der our  Constitution  to  alter  the  territorial  extent  of  a  Dio- 
cese in  this  form),  to  the  setting  off  of  that  part  of  the  State 
of  North  Carolina  lying  west  of  the  eastern  line  of  the 
Counties  of  Allegheny,  Wilkes,  Alexander,  Catawba,  Lincoln 
and  Gaston,  by  a  line  running  from  the  State  line  of  Virginia 
to  that  of  South  Carolina. 

The  House  of  Bishops  however,  did  not  nominate  a  Bishop 
for  the  new  District. 

When  this  matter  was  before  the  House  of  Bishops  the 
Committee  on  Domestic  Missions,  to  whom  the  Memorial 
from  North  Carolina  praying  that  the  cession  of  territory 
be  accepted,  reported  adversely,  assigning  three  reasons  for 
their  action: 

First,  that  there  was  no  statement  from  the  Diocese  of 
North  Carolina  binding  it  to  turn  over  the  property  in  the 
Missionary   District. 

Second,  there  is  no  pledge  given  by  the  parishes  lying 
in  the  proposed  Missionary  District  that  they  will  continue 
to  pay  toward  the  support  of  the  Missionary  Bishop  the 
money  now  contributed  toward  the  support  of  the  Bishop  of 
North  Carolina. 

Third,  your  Committee  believe  the  territory  can  be  ad- 
ministered for  the  next  three  years  without  serious  loss  to 
the  Church. 

1  ftQ^     November  12-13    The  first  Convention  of  the  Dis- 
trict of  Asheville  was  held  in  Trinity  Church,  Ashe- 
ville,  Bishop  Cheshire  presiding,  and  in  his  address  to  the 
Convention  he  said: 

—  3  — 


"The  jurisdiction  of  Asheville  has  been  erected  but  no 
Bishop  has  been  consecrated  or  elected  for  it. 

"But  when  another  meeting  of  the  House  of  Bishops 
convenes  the  election  of  a  Missionary  Bishop  of  Asheville 
may  depend  very  largely  upon  our  ability  within  this  juris- 
dictiort  to  provide  a  considerable  part  of  his  salary.  Your 
Bishop  and  deputies,  when  urging  the  memorial  of  the  Dio- 
cese of  North  Carolina,  were  given  plainly  to  understand 
that  when  part  of  an  old  Diocese  is  accepted  by  the  General 
Convention  as  missionary  territory  and  erected  into  a  mis- 
sionary jurisdiction,  the  Board  of  Managers  will  expect  such 
jurisdiction  to  assume  a  certain  and  specific  part  of  the  sup- 
port of  their  Bishop. 

"In  our  case  this  must  be  provided  in  two  ways:  First, 
we  must  keep  our  congregations  up  to  the  payment  of  the 
regular  assessment  for  the  episcopal  and  contingent  fund: 

as  soon  as   a  bishop  has  been   consecrated  this 

should  yield  an  annual  income  of  over  Five  Hundred  Dol- 
lars, in  our  present  condition  and  at  the  present  scale  of 
assessments 

"It  however  could  be  easily  increased  to  Six  Hundred  Dol- 
lars by  a  careful  collection  of  the  small  amounts  asked  from 
our  numerous  missions,  and  this  without  estimating  any- 
thing from  the  increase  and  development  of  the  work.  But 
this  sum  is  much  less  than  we  shall  be  expected  to  do  to- 
ward the  support  of  a  bishop,  and  an  effort  should  be  made 
at  once  to  raise  a  fund  for  the  support  of  the  episcopate. 

" It  is  surely  not  saying  much  when  we  say  that 

two  or  three  years  may  see  sufficient  growth  to  give  us  the 
required  number  of  self  supporting  parishes  for  the  diocese. 
If  that  should  be  the  case,  then  nothing  would  stand  in  our 
way  except  the  want  of  proper  provision  for  the  support  of 
a  bishop.  Therefore,  this  first  representative  meeting  of 
the  missionary  jurisdiction  of  Asheville  should  at  once  be- 
gin the  work  of  preparing  for  the  proper,  permanent  support 
of  a  bishop."     (Journal  of  1895,  page  12.) 

1  &Q&  ^  ^e  General  Convention  held  in  Washington,  D. 
C,  in  October,  the  House  of  Bishops,  upon  a  guar- 
antee of  $2500.00  a  year  for  a  period  of  three  years  being  giv- 
en nominated  the  Rev.  Junius  M.  Horner,  D.  D.,  as  Missionary 
Bishop  for  Asheville,  and  Bishop  Horner  was  consecrated  on 


the  28th  of  December  of  that  year  and  entered  upon  his 
duties. 

Of  the  amount  so  guaranteed,  there  was  paid  by  the 
Treasurer  of  the  District  from  the  proceeds  of  the  Ravens- 
croft  Fund  and  the  Episcopal  &  Contingent  Fund  $4167.08, 
the  balance  of  $3332.92  being  contributed  by  Mr.  George 
Vanderbilt,  who  gave  the  guarantee. 

1  009     Convention  held  at  Hickory  June  12.       In  his  ad- 

dress  to  the  Convention  Bishop  Horner  said,  "In 

view  of  the  report  of  the  Finance  Committee  which  has  been 

placed  in  your  hands I  deem  it  my  duty  to  call  your 

attention  specially  to  the  financial  condition  of  our  District. 

"I  think  the  greatest  obligation  resting  upon  us  and  the 
one  that  will  be  so  considered  by  the  Church  in  the  United 
States  is  to  become  a  self  supporting  Diocese  at  the  earliest 
possible  date  and  our  growth  in  financial  strength  in  the  last 
few  years  warrants  the  calculation  that  within  the  next 
few  years  we  can  apply  to  the  General  Convention  for 
organization  into  a  Diocese.  An  examination  of  the  con- 
tributions of  our  District  to  objects  outside  show,  I  think, 
that  we  have  fully  realized  our  obligations  as  to  what  might 
be  expected  from  this  District  as  expressed  in  the  open  let- 
ter of  the  Special  Committee  appointed  to  prepare  a  state- 
ment to  go  before  the  General  Convention  in  asking  for  a 
Bishop  for  this  District. 

"The  guarantee  of  $2500.00  a  year  for  three  years  towards 
support  of  a  bishop  has  been  paid  in  full  to  the  Board  of  Mis- 
sions, and  in  addition  thereto  seven  or  eight  hundred  dollars 

a  year  has   been  contributed  to   the   Board Contri- 

tributions  of  our  District  to  objects  outside  shows,  I  think, 
principally  extra  parochial,  have  increased  from  $4022.00  in 
1898  to  $8883.00  this  year  (1902).  These  figures  indicate 
a  very  substantial  financial  growth  and  show  that  we  may 
hope  to  become  self  supporting  in  a  feW  years. 

"Our  obligations  to  the  Board  will  be  fully  met 

and  this  will  leave  the  income  of  our  invested  funds  at  the 
disposal  of  this  Convention,  unincumbered,  as  I  feel,  by  any 
obligations  whatever.  This  income  is  at  present  between 
$1000.00  and  1200.00. 

This  income  can  be  used  towards  forming  an  endowment 


fund  for  the  District,  or  it  can  be  expended  in  Missionary 
work  in  the  District. 

"I  strongly  advocate  the  appointment  of  a  Committee  on 
Endowment,  with  instructions  to  endeavor  to  raise  an  endow- 
ment within  the  next  five  years,  so  that  we  may  go  before 
the  General  Convention  in  1907  and  ask  to  be  organized  into 
a  Diocese,  and  the  income  of  our  invested  funds  should  be 
placed  at  the  disposal  of  this  Committee  to  be  used  in  this 
endowment.  It  would  be  needless  for  me  to  go  into  the 
details  of  this  Committee,  but  I  am  satisfied  that  the  nec- 
essary endowment  can  be  raised  without  an  undue  burden 
upon  any  mission  or  parish."  (Journal,  1902,  page  60.) 

This  part  of  the  Bishop's  address  was  referred  to  a  spe- 
cial Committee  which  reported  to  this   Convention  that  in- 
dependence with  full  privileges  of  a  Diocese  is  to  be  earnestly 
hoped  and  planned  for.     They  made  five  recommendations: 
That  the  Board  of  Managers  be  informed  of  our 
plan. 

That  the  interest  funds  as  they  accumulate  be 
applied  to  the  improvement  of  the  Ravenscroft 
property. 

That  the  trustees  be  authorized  to  use  all  means 
necessary  for  the  improvement  of  the  property. 

That  a  Committee  of  five  be  appointed  to  act 
with  the  Bishop  in  raising  $10,000.00. 

Ask  the  Board  of  Missions  to  cooperate  in  raising 
$30,000.00,  so  relieving  them  of  a  permanent  obliga- 
tion equal  to  an  investment  of  $60,000.00.  (Journal 
of  1902,  page  32.) 

These  recommendations  were  adopted  and  a  Com- 
mittee appointed. 

1  00'*)  Convention  held  at  Waynesville.  The  Commit- 
tee on  Endowment  reported:  At  the  present 
time    it    is    inexpedient    to      make    any     effort      to      raise 

an  Episcopal  Endowment  Fund until  a  legal  decision 

shall  be  made  in  the  actions  to  be  brought  by  other  Juris- 
dictions as  to  our  claims  upon  funds  in  the  hands  of  the  Board 
of  Missions. 

That  the  resolutions  of  the  last  Convention  in  regard  to 
the  proposed  endowment  be  rescinded. 

That  the  revenues  of  the  Ravenscorft  and  other  funds  be 
paid  to  the  order  of  the  Missionary  Committee  for  the  pur- 
pose of  extending  the  work  of  that  Committee.    Page  25. 


1  QO-4-  Convention  at  Lincolnton.  Rev.  Mr.  Wetmore  of- 
fered resolution  that  "The  Bishop  appoint  a  Com- 
mittee of  three  clerical  and  three'  lay  members  of  the  Con- 
vention to  solicit  funds  both  within  and  without  the  District 
of  Asheville  for  an  Episcopal  endowment,  to  the  end  that 
we  may  become  a  diocese."      Page  40. 

Resolution  adopted  and  Committee  appointed. 

1  QO^S  Convention  in  Asheville.  The  Committee  on  Endow- 
ment reported  that  the  matter  committed  to  them 
was  vague,  no  plan  was  reported,  and  that  the  purpose  of  the 
resolution  seemed  merely  to  be  to  keep  the  matter  before  the 
Church  and  remind  our  people  that  we  hoped  some  time  to 
become  a  diocese. 

Later  in  the  session  the  following  resolution  was  adopt- 
ed: "That  the  parishes  and  missions  of  the  District  be  re- 
quested to  take  two  offerings  during  the  next  year  for  the 
Episcopal  Endowment  Fund,  and  that  the  Clergy  of  the  Dis- 
trict be  earnestly  requested  to  explain  and  impress  the  im- 
portance of  this  fund  upon  the  individual  members  of  their 
congregations.     Pages  27-28. 

1  00*7  Convention  at  Lenoir.  The  Committee  on  Endow- 
ment reported  progress  and  recommended  that  an 
effort  be  made  to  secure  some  of  the  Men's  Missionary  Thank 
Offering,  which  was  then  being  solicited,  for  our  Endow- 
ment Fund. 

"IQAQ     Convention  at  Morganton.  Committee  on  Endow- 
ment reported  nothing  doing  but  urged  decision  to 
become  a  diocese  in  a  definite  time,  with  or  without  assist- 
ance from  without  the  District. 

1  OOO     Convention  at  Asheville.  Committee  on  Endowment 
reported  small  receipts  and  urged  that  the  matter 
be  kept  before  the  people. 

1  Q 1  0     Convention  at  Waynesville.  On  motion  the  Commit- 
tee appointed  to  frame  a  plan  for  Diocesan  organi- 
zation was  discharged. 

1  Q  1  A.     Convention  at  Asheville   It  was  resolved:  That  the 

"^  Bishop  be  requested  to  appoint  a  Committee  of  five 

to  consider  and  report  to  the  next  Convention  some  plan  by 

—  7  — 


which  the  District  may  be  formed  into  a  diocese  at  the  next 
meeting  of  the  General  Convention. 

The  Bishop  appointed  the  Rev.  Dr.  Swope,  the  Rev.  W. 
Brown,  the  Rev.  F.  D.  Lobdell  and  Messrs  Parker  and  Bacon 
as  such  committee 

1  Q  1  ^S     Convention  at  Asheville.     The  Committee  appoint- 
"*"      ed  at  the  last  Convention  reported  the  Assets  of  the 
District  to  be: 

Episcopal   Endowment   Fund   $     798.12 

Atlantic  Coast  Line  Bonds 4000.00 

Notes  and  other  securities 37550.00 

Real  Estate,  conservatively   estimated   as 

worth 30000.00 

$72348.12 
To  be  received  from  the  Board  of  Missions  if 
claimed  before  another  Missionary 
District $10000.00 

$82348.12 

From  this  sum  a  loan  of  $2,000.00  made  to  the  Education 
Fund  in  1909  for  which  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  bonds  are 
pledged  must  be  deducted,  "leaving  $80,348.12  as  the  amount 
which  on  a  conservative  estimate  the  District  now  has  or 
may  anticipate  having  in  the  near  future." 

Also  that  "We  must  increase  our  contributions  so  as  to 

meet  the  charges now  being  paid  from  the  Raven- 

scroft  Interest  account;  making  up  the  existing  deficit  in  the 
District  Missions'  Fund;  and  increase  that  fund  by  approxi- 
mately $2000;  in  short,  the  District  will  have  to  raise  about 
$4,000  a  year  in  excess  of  what  it  is  now  doing  ....  Let 
this  Convention  then  inaugurate  a  definite  policy  for  in- 
creasing our  contributions  with  Diocesan  autonomy  as  the 
objective,  and  this,  if  possible,  in  1916." 

On  motion  it  was  resolved  That  the  report  of  the 
Committee  on  some  plan  by  which  the  District  may 
be  formed  into  a  Diocese,  presented  yesterday  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Swope,  be  received  and  printed  in  the  Journal,  and 
that  the  Committee  be  enlarged,  so  as  to  consist  of  twelve 
members,  five  clerical  and  seven  lay. 

Resolved,  further,  That  this  Committee  be  instructed  to 
consider  and  formulate  a  plan  by  which  the  District  may  be 
formed  into  a  Diocese  and  report  the  same  to  the  next  Con- 
vention. 


1  Q  1  f}  Convention  at  Asheville.  In  his  address  the  Bishop 
said:  "After  some  discussion  at  our  last  Convention 
it  was  decided  to  enlarge  the  special  Committee  on  Diocesan 
Organization  to  twelve  members,  with  the  expectation  that 
a  practical  plan  might  be  worked  out  that  would  make  it 
advisable  to  take  definite  action  towards  organization.  We 
are  all  agreed  perhaps  in  the  desire  for  Diocesan  organiza- 
tion, but  may  differ  greatly  as  to  the  method. 

"As  Bishop  of  this  District,  I  have  from  the  very  first 
looked  forward  to  such  organization,  and  have  desired 
it,  but  have  objected  to  two  methods,  which  have  seemed 
to  some  the  simplest  and  most  desirable.  One  of  these 
methods  was  for  the  Bishop  to  go  outside  and  secure  contri- 
bution, sufficient  to  make,  with  what  assets  we  have,  an 
endowment  for  the  Diocese.  I  have  had  all  I  could  do  to 
get  money  from  outside  in  sufficient  amounts  to  carry  on  the 
school  and  evangelical  work  of  the  District,  and  I  objected 
both  as  a  matter  of  principle  and  as  a  matter  of  practica- 
bility to  this  method. 

"The  other  method  advanced  has  been  the  one  I  under- 
stand the  present  committee  is  prepared  to  propose  to  this 
Convention.  That  is,  to  take  all  the  present  available  as- 
sets which  have,  up  to  this  time  been  used  to  supplement  the 
meagre  stipends  of  the  Missionary  Clergy,  and  to  put  such 
amounts  into  a  special  fund  for  an  Episcopal  endowment  and 
to  trust  to  the  new  impetus  given  by  Diocesan  organization 
to  make  up  the  loss  to  the  Missionary  Clergy.  Such  impetus 
may  possibly  be  sufficient  to  make  up  to  the  Clergy  the  loss 
in  their  stipends  they  would  thus  surrender.  I  doubt  it, 
however,  very  seriously. 

"My  advice  would  be:  That  the  committee  appointed  can- 
vass by  some  special  arrangement  the  whole  District  and  find 
out  beforehand,  what  each  Parish  and  Mission  would  be  able 
and  willing  to  contribute  each  year  towards  the  Mission  fund  to 
make  up  for  the  loss  of  the  income  from  the  present  fund, 
and  if  it  should  be  found  that  the  contributions  so  pledged 
would  be  sufficient  to  make  up  the  stipends  needed,  then  the 
Missionary  Clergy  might  be  justified  in  voting  to  surrender 
their  claims  upon  the  present  income  from  invested  funds 
...  .  The  whole  District  should  be  consulted  and  informed 
in  regard  to  this  organization,  and  if  this  is  done  and  the 

—  9  — 


District  as  a  whole  feels  sufficiently  interested  to  back  up 
their  interest  with  contributions  and  pledges  in  satisfactory- 
amounts,  I  would  be  most  heartily  in  favor  of  immediate  or- 
ganization thereupon." 

The  Committee  on  Diocesan  Organization  presented  their 
report  as  follows: 

"Your  Committee  has  held  two  meetings  during  the  past 
year  and  it  presents  the  following  as  a  result  of  its  deliber- 
ations: 

To  endow  the  Episcoate  will  require  a  principal  sum  of 
approximately  $66,000.00,  which  invested  at  5  per  cent  will 
yield  $3,300.00.  The  Trustees  of  the  District  have  now  ap- 
proximately $40,000.00  derived  from  the  sale  of  real  estate. 
There  are  also  Atlantic  Coast  Line  bonds  to  the  value  of 
$2,000.00  owned  by  the  District,  and  $798.12  in  what  is  called 
the  Episcopal  Endowment  Fund;  so  we  have  in  hand  $42,- 
798.12.  We  have  also  the  promise  of  the  General  Board  of 
Missions  that,  should  our  district  become  a  Diocese  before 
another  Missionary  District  applies  for  it,  we  will  receive 
$10,000.00,  a  balance  in  the  hands  of  the  Board  of  what  has 
been  known  as  the  Harold  Brown  Fund;  so  that  we  will  have 
to  raise  $14,000.00  to  complete  the  principal  sum  named, 
$66,000.00. 

It  is  highly  probable  that  in  the  next  few  years  the  Trus- 
tees will  come  into  possession  of  much  more  than  this  amount, 
as  in  addition  to  what  they  now  have  in  hand,  there  are  some 
lots  unsold  in  the  Eavenscroft  property,  and  the  whole  of  the 
valuable  Roebling  tract 

Your  Committee  recommends,  therefore,  that  this  Conven- 
tion formally  set  aside  all  invested  funds  derived  from  the  sale 
of  real  estate,  including  the  present  $2,000.00  of  Atlantic  Coast 
Line  bonds,  now  in  the  hands  of  the  Trustees,  as  a  permanent 
fund  for  the  support  of  the  Episcopate;  and,  further,  to  pro- 
vide that  all  money  received  hi  the  future  from  the  sale  of 
real  estate  at  Ravenscroft  and  the  Roebling  tract  shall  be- 
come a  part  of  this  same  fund  until  the  Permanent  Fund 
amounts  to  $66,000.00;  and  that,  until  the  Permanent  Fund 
is  completed,  the  amount  necessary  to  complete  the  stipend 
paid  the  Bishop  shall  be  assessed  upon  the  Parishes  and 
Missions. 

Your  Committee  recommends,  further,  that  the  necessary 

—  10  — 


canonical  action  be  taken  at  this  time  to  organize  the  District 

into  a  Diocese. 

(Signed)     EODNEY  R.   SWOPE,   Chairman; 
R.  N.  WILLCOX, 
FREDERICK  D.  LOBDELL, 
G.  H.  HARRISON, 
FRANCIS    P.   BACON, 
THOMAS  SETTLE, 
HAYWOOD  PARKER, 
CHAS.  E.  WADDELL, 
HARMON  MILLER, 
WM.  L.  BALTHIS  " 

This  report  received  an  animated  and  enthusiastic  dis- 
cussion, and  on  motion  of  Mr.  Haywood  Parker,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  desire  and  request  of  this  Con- 
vention that  the  Bishop  call  a  Convention  of  this  District  to 
meet  within  the  next  sixty  days  for  the  purpose  of  consider- 
ing and  taking  such  action  as  many  be  necessary  to  make 
proper  application  to  the  next  General  Convention  for  erect- 
ing the  District  into  a  Diocese. 

And  on  motion  of  the  Rev.  E.  N.  Joyner,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  the  Committee  on  Diocesan  Organization 
be  continued,  and  that  this  committee  be  instructed  to  take 
action  at  the  earliest  possible  moment  to  bring  the  merits 
and  methods  of  this  matter  before  the  Parishes  and  Missions 
of  the  District. 

A  Special  Convention  was  called  by  the  Bishop  to  meet 
August  16,  1916,  but  on  August  8,  the  Council  of  Advice  ad- 
vised the  Bishop  to  withdraw  and  cancel  the  call  for  this  con- 
vention, on  the  ground  of  exigencies  having  arisen  owing  to 
the  notable  flood  of  July.  The  call  for  the  convention  was 
thereupon  cancelled.  All  possibility  therefore,  of  the  for- 
mation of  ai  Diocese  in  1916  was  thus  frustrated  and  again 
left  to  be  carried  over  for  the  consideration  of  some  future 
Annual  Convention. 

1  Q 1  7  Convention  at  Tryon.  The  Committee  on  Diocesan 
Organization  presented  the  following  report,  which 
was  adopted,  and  the  Committee  continued. 

"Your  Committee  respectfully  submits: 

First,  That  this  committee  believes  that  this  District  is 
possessed  of  sufficient  property  and  Trust  Funds,  to  enable 
it  to  make  application  to  become  a  Diocese. 

—  11  — 


Secondly,  That  the  conditions  in  this  District  warrant  us 
in  making  such  application  to  the  General  Convention. 

Your  Committee  recommend  that  this  Convention  either 
appoint  another  committee  for  this  purpose,  or  continue  the 
present  Committee  on  Diocesan  Organization,  and  instruct  it 
to  prepare  all  necessary  data  looking  towards  suitable  action, 
at  our  next  Annual  Convention,  whereby  we  may  make  appli- 
cation to  the  General  Convention  for  admission  as  a  Diocese 

Be  it  Resolved,  Therefore,  That  this  Convention  request 
the  Bishop  at  this  Convention,  to  designate,  and  call  our  next 
Annual  Convention  for  the  purpose  of  making  such  appli- 
cation to  become  a  Diocese,  in  addition  to  its  regular  busi- 
ness. 

And  on  motion  the  Committee  was  continued. 

In  his  address  the  Bishop  said:  "IV.  I  would  like  you  to 
start  now  with  some  definite  policy  looking  to  the  organi- 
zation of  the  District  into  a  Diocese  before  the  next  General 
Convention  if  possible,  and  in  order  to  do  this,  we  must  lose 
no  time  in  preparing  each  Parish  and  Mission  for  the  change. 

1  Q  1  f%  Under  date  of  March  22,  1918,  the  Committee  on 
Diocesan  Organization  sent  out  a  letter  stating  that: 
"The  proposition  resolves  itself  into  one  of  ways  and  means, 
and  as  nearly  $3,100.00  in  addition  to  the  present  existing  ap- 
portionments must  be  raised  annually  in  order  that  the  sti- 
pends of  the  Missionaries  may  be  met  and  assured,  you  are 
requested  to  bring  this  to  the  attention  of  your  congregation, 
etc." 

At  the  Convention  at  Asheville  the  Committee  presented 
the  following  report: 

"Your  Committtee  offer  for  your  action  the  following  res- 
olution. Resolved,  That  the  Bishop  and  the  Secretary 
notify  the  Board  of  Missions  that  it  is  the  purpose  of  the 
District  of  Asheville  to  take  action  at  its  1919  Convention, 
by  resolution  and  in  conformity  with  canonical  requirements, 
to  request  the  Triennial  General  Convention  to  admit  the 
District  as  a  Diocese. 

Resolved,  That  all  sums  accruing  from  the  permanent 
funds  during  the  year  1918,  which  income  has  hitherto  been 
used  to  pay  missionary  stipends  and  otherwise,  be  set  aside 
in  escrow  in  interest  bearing  certificates  of  some  bank,  and 
said  sum  be  held  subject  to  the  action  of  the  1919  Convention. 

—  12  — 


The  Treasurer  of  the  District  being  hereby  directed  to  so  in- 
vest said  income  and  to  report  to  the  next  Convention. 

Resolved,  That  whereas  the  Bishop  has  heretofore  been 
using  the  income  from  the  invested  funds  to  pay  missionary 
stipends,  and  that  the  withdrawal  of  this  income  will  mate- 
rially handicap  the  work  of  the  District,  that  an  assessment 
in  proportion  to  their  several  abilities  to  pay  be  levied  on  the 
Parishes  and  Missions  of  the  District,  said  assessment  to 
equal  the  net  income  derived  from  the  invested  funds  for  the 
year  1917,  and  said  assessment  to  be  paid  by  the  Parishes  and 
Missions  in  quarterly  installments  to  the  District  Treasurer. 

Resolved,  That  should  this  plan  work  out  successfully 
in  the  coming  year,  the  District  stands  pledged  to  adopt  at 
its  1919  Convention  resolutions  necessary  to  admission  as  a 
Diocese." 

In  his  Address  the  Bishop  said: 

"The  minimum  required  bythe  canons  to  justify  organiza- 
tion is  a  little  less  than  $3,000,  and  this  should  seem  a  small 
amount  for  a  district  like  this  to  be  called  upon  to  raise,  but 
when  we  consider  it  from  another  point  of  view  and  know  that 
to  maintain  the  work  as  now  organized,  we  get  from  without 
the  District  something  more  than  $50,000  a  year,  we  must 
realize  that  we  are  not  yet  ready  to  assume  self  support  and 
independence.  It  is  true  that  part  of  this  outside  help 
would  continue  to  be  given,  but  more  or  less  of  it  would  be 
jeopardized,  and  it  would  be  much  harder  for  our  Mission- 
aries to  secure  this  outside  help.  They  all  feel,  I  am  sure, 
it  is  hard  enough  as  it  is 

" we  should,  for  our  own  good,  postpone  an  at- 
tempt at  organization  for  the  present,  and  until  the  laity  of 
the  various  Parishes  and  Missions  have  been  fully  informed 
of  the  issues  involved  in  organization.  If  they,  knowing 
what  is  involved,  will  agree  to  take  up  the  financial  burden  re- 
quired, I  would  be  more  than  rejoiced  to  cooperate  with  them 
and  to  push  the  organization  to  completion. 

"I  hope  the  committee  on  organization  will  bring  in 
some  plan  that  will  put  to  the  practical  test  the  financial  at- 
titude of  the  laity  both  of  the  Parishes  and  Missions." 

Finally,  a  vote  was  taken,  by  orders,  on  the  question  of  ac- 
cepting the  report  of  the  Committee  and  adopting  its  recom- 
mendations, its  plan  to  be  put  into  effect  immediately.      The 

—  13  — 


motion,  as  above,  was  thereupon  adopted  by  an  almost  unan- 
imous vote,  only  three  clerical  votes  being  cast  in  the  nega- 
tive. The  Committee  was  thereupon  discharged  and  the 
matter  of  assessing  the  Parishes  and  Missions  turned  over  to 
the  Missionary  Committee.     Page  22. 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  Convention,  the  Finance 
Committee  reported  to  the  Missionary  Committee  that  "the 
additional  fixed  expenses  we  would  have  to  assume,  by  becom- 
ing a  Diocese,  are  at  least  $4,500.00  annually." 


—  14  — 


STATISTICS 


1895.  Priests  16;  Deacons  7;  Total  Clergy  22.  Parish- 
es 8;  Organized  Missions  11;  Unorganized  35 

1896.  Families  637;   Persons  2769;   Baptisms  322;   Con- 
firmations  203;    Communicants   1368;   S.   S.   Teachers     149; 
Pupils  1305;  Parish  Schools  10;  Teachers  14;  Pupils  482. 
Offerings   $12,307.50;    District   Missions   $618.04. 

1914.  Priests  28;  Deacons  6;  Parishes  13;  Organized 
Missions  33;  Unorganized  47;  Families  1781;  Persons  5889; 
Baptisms  352;  Confirmations  215;  Communicants  3223;  S. 
S.  Teachers  305;  Pupils  2605;  Mission  Teachers  53;  Scholars 
1053;   Offerings   $39,632.70. 

1917-1918.  (Statistics  for  19  months.)  Priests  31;  Dea- 
cons 4;  Parishes  15;  Organized  Missions  33;  Unorganized 
39;  Families ;  Persons  6,280;  Baptisms  610;  Confirma- 
tions 327;  Communicants  3,679;  S.  S.  Teachers,  271;  Pupils 
2,838;  Mission  Teachers  31;  Scholars  701;  Offerings  $89,704.95 
for  19  months,  an  average  of  $4,721  31  a  month,  or  say  $56,- 
655.72  for  12  months. 


15  — 


FOR  USE  ONLY  IN 
THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  COLLECTION 


Form  No.  A-368,  Rev.  8/95 


